


A New Year

by Yeeeeeeeeettttt



Category: TAZ - Fandom, The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Angst, F/F, F/M, I'm making more chapters it just takes a while, M/M, Major character death - Freeform, Past taako/Magnus, Sad bois, Spoilers, Spoilers ep 69 and previous
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-13
Updated: 2018-03-13
Packaged: 2019-03-30 16:42:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13955736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yeeeeeeeeettttt/pseuds/Yeeeeeeeeettttt
Summary: The years that we're lost are returned but is that always a good thing? The IPRE crew and their adventures in the 100 years lost.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> There will probably be more chapters but this is a tester to see if anyone actually wants more.

_The echo the wood hitting the floor reverberated through Lucretia’s room in the starblaster. Magnus Burnsides stood at the door looking in horror at what was happening before him; Lucretia's book was bobbing calmly in fishers water tank, fishers tendrils wrapped around it's fine fabric carefully almost cradling it._

_Lucretia looked at Magnus_ _with tear stained eyes, blue like fountains and flowing just like one would. A sudden wave of pain washed over Magnus and he fell to his knees shaking; Lucretia ran over to him in panic holding his arms tightly in an embrace whispering something he could not hear hurriedly._

  _Magnus’ brain began to fuzz and a loud high pitched sound rang in his ears as everything around him and everything he knew turned to static before him._

 Magnus Burnsides woke up with a ringing in his ears, static and tears in his eyes for the fifth time that week. Julia moved beside him restlessly, he didn't want to wake her as he had done that enough this week. Magnus quietly got out of bed the cold wind hitting him like icy shards; carefully avoiding disturbing Julia he began to walk outside grabbing a shirt to put on along the way. Magnus wondered the village of Ravens Roost with silent contemplation, he had been there so long he didn't remember when he had shown up there but to be honest he didn't actually remember most or anything from around twelve years ago and even then it was a vague memory. In fact magnus couldn't really recall any memory from his past besides the time he saved that dog.

 But it didn't matter because everything that was worth remembered was right where he was standing; Julia, Steven and this town is where he belonged. He had fought tooth and nail beside Julia to keep it and he'd be damned if anyone was going to take it from him.

For the past week Magnus had been having dreams but once he had woken up he could never recall them; all that he could ever remember was static which was… disconcerting to say the least.  Magnus looked around as he reached the center of town, breathing in the cold night air slowly and contemplative he turned and headed back to his house with Julia.

H stood out front of the door for a moment before letting himself into the hammer and tongs work area, there in the back was the chair he had begun work on an elegant dark wood with lavender scent worked into it delicately.Magnus sat and worked on the chair for the rest of the night with a strange familiarity in the way he crafted.

∆∆∆

_“Who?” His voice sounded distant as taako looked at the man before him, everything around him was fading and he felt… empty._

Th _e man jumped up from his desk and looked in horror at taako; saying something he couldn't quite process._

" _Kill me taako! Please! I need to remember her!” Who this 'her’ was taako didn't know but he was frightened and the man was screaming now and he needed it to stop he needed…_

T _aako watched as the man with distinct bluejeans and a red robe fell from the balcony that he stood once before._

  _Dead before he hit the ground._

 

Taako was famous; more than famous he was a star. He had his own show 'sizzle it up with taako’, his own coach and his own label which was ‘eccentric’. Everything was going his way for once in his life, he had worked so hard and now everyone knew him. It didn't matter that one of his most recent memories was killing a man or that sometimes he felt a dull ache in his heart or a hand that held his.

It didn't matter because he is taako from T.V.

 Well he was…

 Taako felt the carriage bump and shake as sazed steered away from Glamour Springs, he felt what was left of his breath speed up into hyperventilation. All those people dead because of him, he should've been more careful, it was his fault. After an hour of driving taako felt the carriage come to a halt, unwilling to look sazed in the eyes he moved his way out of the cart and  walked a few meters away. He lay down on the soft grass in the forest; sazed could cook his own dinner tonight taako thought as he lay looking up at the stars wanting desperately just to sleep.

 The next morning taako woke up to the sound of an owl hooting in his ear, he looked up angrily at the animal before remembering yesterday his stomach twisted in anxiety and he began to sweat.

 “S-sazed?” He called out fretfully; silence was the only response.

 Taako walked over to where the cart had last been parked; no one was there.

 Taako was alone.

∆∆∆

  _His calloused hands shuffled the deck expertly; as he dealt the cards he looked up at the gnome before him._

  _“I think it's my birthday”  Davenport said out of the blue sounding almost shocked that he remembered that sort of detail about himself. Merle had stopped celebrating his birthday around the 44th cycle._

 "Shit _merle were going to start aging” he emphasized the last word by gesturing to his few grey hairs on his head._

  _Merle smiled as they began to laugh almost bitterly; they began to discuss future plans, Davenport had always been the type to focus on the future so much that he forgot the present that he was currently stuck in and some said that merle was the exact opposite focusing on the present and blatantly if not purposefully ignoring what lie ahead._

  _They talked about the future for once, about where they wanted to live knowing at the time that it would take a god itself to tear their family apart and pull them away from each other._

_A god or a desperate act._

  _Merles vision wavered as he stood up from his chair; a million questions running through his mind. Why was he in the sky? Who was the gnome next to him?_

_“Who are you?” Merle asked slurring his words as he spoke, the gnome in question looked up tearfully pulling his hands through his ginger hair._

  _“I'm Davenport! I'm Davenport! Im- I'm daven-”_

Merle sat at a crusty bar shuffling a deck of cards he had on hand, his hands moved in quick fluid motions as he moved them to and fro. The rowdy sounds of the tavern drowned out his thoughts for the time being, behind him a human and a goliath began a fist fight while a bored looking elf gazed on quickly looking at the two in disinterest. Merle felt a large hand on his shoulder; he turned in his seat and once he had he saw gundren rockseeker (his cousin) standing in front of him.

 “You called me here what do you need?” Merle asked almost impatient.

 “I need someone who can do some work for me.” Gundren replied in a gruff tone.

“It'll be the last job you ever have to do” Gundren guaranteed as he held his calloused hand out for merle to shake. Taking his hand merle allowed himself to smile, thinking that he better be rich enough to afford a new card deck after this; one that didn't make his head fill with static when he looked at the writing scribbled on them.


	2. Wonderland

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wonderland and red robes.

Magnus’ feet thudded loudly in rhythm of his heart as he strode towards his room that he shared with taako and merle in the beuro. He was going to tell them about what June had given him the last day they were in Refuge. The scrap of paper he had been carrying around for days clenched tightly in one hand and in the other the glass orb filled with water that had a large orange goldfish inside it bobbing around it lazily. 

His mind had been at war with itself over the past few days, debating on whether or not he should share the information with his friends. It almost seemed impossible but somehow he couldn't deny it no matter how much he tried to think reasonably and come up with a logical solution he just couldn't. But all the same Magnus thought to himself as he marched towards his room ' I'm a red robe and they need to know the truth’ .

A red robe. A bad guy.

All his life Magnus had worked to be good, a protector; but instead he was somehow in with a group that he was currently trying to fight. He didn't know how or why he could be a red robe but everytime he tried to put two and two together his brain fell into a familiar and worrying static.

He pulled Steven closer to his chest in worry, he swam absentmindedly in his sphere. The gold of his scales glinted off the lights in the hall as Magnus got closer to his room; as he opened the sturdy door the heavenly scent of Taako’s cooking washed over him embracing him with a comforting warmth.

“Is that Maggie?” Merle's loud voice questioned from the kitchen.

Magnus walked through into the kitchen to see taako standing in front of a large pot absentmindedly stirring with a smile on his face and his back away from merle who was sitting on a stool at the table reading his Extreme Teen Bible absentmindedly; they both looked up from what they were doing as he walked in a smile playing at merles lips and taako looking comfortable and calm in his pajamas.

“Guys I have something to tell you.” His voice sounded distant and unlike himself, immediately taakos ears flattened defensively at his tone and merles warm smile faded into worry.Magnus went through the ways he could tell his friends that he was a red robe. 

“Yeah what is it Maggie.” Merle asked shifting as though he wanted to stand. Taako stayed silent with his back turned away from both of the others in the room not showing his face.

I'm a red robe. June gave me this piece of paper and it's me as a red robe and I don't know what's happening but lately it's getting harder and harder to think without getting headaches full of static and I'm… scared.

It was all he had to say but then… but then what, he would lose his friends, his family and he'd be alone. And if he was being honest with himself he wouldn't survive being left alone again.

“I'm worried about our next mission.” His voice echoed throughout the tense air of the kitchen and Magnus could swear Magnus he heard taako let out a breath of relief.

'I'll tell them later’ he justified as he sat down next to merle and they began to make up reasons for why Lucretia seemed so anxious lately. After another five minutes Taako served them two hot bowls of some sort of stew, Magnus took with the eagerness of a starving man. Taako smiled softly as he watched the two eat with a quiet patience that he was rarely seen using.

“So? Opinions? And if it's not ten out of ten your kidding yourselves.” Taako smiled putting a hand on his hip shifting his apron slightly.

“Tastes amazing.” Merle said through a mouth full of stew.

“Tastes like home.” Magnus said absentmindedly as they all sat down in their kitchen and ate what would be there last happy meal for a long time.

∆∆∆

Two weeks later Magnus received an answer to why Lucretia seemed to be on edge. An answer in the form of bright neon floors and twin elves that we're out to bring pain and… well suffering to them.

A voice that wasn't his own echoed throughout the bright flashing room of wonderland, his soft smile was being twisted into a snarl with his lips being pulled back to show his canines bearing down at his friends menacingly. Magnus watched in silent horror as he drifted further and further away from his body and to the cold rift of the astral plane; he lost sight of Edward, Lidia, takko and merle as he was pulled back even further by some unknown force.

A void with purple and dark blue hazes that reminded him of the void fishes bell's surrounded him. He looked down to see a sea of black ikor almost resembling tar moving menacingly below him. He was pulled ever backwards towards a rift that had opened when he had been flung out of his body. He struggled against this unearthly pull with all his might; he wouldn't go like this not with his family in danger and himself being so close to finding out the mystery behind the red robed figure.  
As magnus thought this a flash of light came up ahead of him; unable to make out this new figure magnus struggled unsuccessfully against this unnatural force that kept dragging him towards his death. And then the figure came into view...

Taako with arms outstretched came flying towards him in a light blue ethereal haze; magnus reached out his own hands in a desperate effort to get ahold of taakos own. Magnus remembered times before when he had reached out for taakos hand...

Magnus recalled clutching taako hand and raising it into the air in triumph after they had killed magic Brian on their first mission, he remembered holding it while the massive purple worm emerged from the ground consuming the three boys with a blazing fire that 'killed' them instantly; he also remembered when he had found taako in his room slumped on the ground with too many bottles of red wine finished around the room as the tears in his eyes welled and he cried about his past and the all-too familiar headaches he would get when he could almost remember feeling as if there was a missing piece of himself that he could not find, Magnus remembered holding taakos hand and putting his arm around the elf as he drifted to sleep in Magnus arms. Magnus knew the feel of taako calloused hands and the small burns he had obtained from his cooking and the scars from fighting.

"Thank you"  
Was all he could think in that moment as he looked up at his spectral friend and even though he couldn't speak the words he hoped his eyes got the message across.  
He had never been so thankful as taako grabbed ahold of him and pulled back towards the rift that he had created to come after him, and as he did that another flash came from behind the elf. Two familiar spirited wooden arms that seemed to be radiating warmth reached out and grasped the two boys in their comforting hold and pulled them both back towards the rift. Back towards safety.

Back towards family.

Magnus vision swam for a few moments but then became clear, he lay on the ground surrounded by fashionable and brightly dressed mannequins all peering down at him from a circle they had formed. At first Magnus thought he had just been winded, thinking that coming back into his body had knocked the air out of his lungs but as he sat up he realized he couldn't breath. Not only that but... He didn't need to.

He climbed on to the platform painfully aware of what had happened to him as he stood up to his full height in a body that didn't belong to him. He raised a decorative wooden arm and pointed at his own contorted body who looked shocked.

"W-what?" Edward said with a cheap imitation of his own voice.

"I'll be having my body back you undead fuck." 

∆∆∆

Merle watched as magnus... Real Magnus stood up onto the platform and pointed at Edward in Magnus body who reeled back in shock.

"W-what?" Magnus distorted voice sounded from the other side of the room.

"I'll be having my body back you undead fuck." The mannequin deadpanned and then took stance for a fight.

Merle watched as his friend who he had been traveling with for the past year pull out his axe (what did Magnus call that damned thing? Trailbreaker... Railsplitter?) and turn directly to merle who stood closest to the possessed body of his friend . Merle backed away a few inches; unwilling and unable to bring himself to hurt Magnus (even if it was just his body with an evil litch who tortured them inside). 

In a flash Edward swung at merle with railsplitter and carved a large gash across merle stomach, he fell back onto his knees with a grunt as he looked down to see his own blood blooming and covering his shirt with the red liquid.

'Magnus'' warped laughter came from in front of merle who was still on his knees putting pressure into his wound. 

Merle heard taako shout behind him in genuine anguish as he watched Edward in Magnus body cut down the Merle. Merle didn't hear much else after that as he fell unconscious in a heap on the flashing fluoro panels on the floor.  
He didn't know how long he had been passed out but it felt as though it had only been a few seconds, Merle heard voices echoing around him and he opened his eyes, the gash on his stomach healing as he stood to his feet.  
Fighting fully formed litches showed to be a difficult task; Magnus had lost and arm, and taako fell in a heap as he was hit by a raging Edward who shortly perished after a few more hits. Taakos umbrella much to merles surprise swallowed the ghostly form of Edward whole and before merle had time to be concerned about taakos well being a loud banshee-like scream came from lidia who burst into flame and then ash leaving nothing behind but neat golden bell.

Everyone who was conscious breathed a sigh of relief, that was was until they turned around to find Magnus body was gone and a red robe was standing a few feet away.

Merle healed taako who slowly got up and gazed around the room; seeing the red robe he took a defensive stance to which Merle followed suit brandishing his oaken hand out defensively.

“It's okay guys” mannequin Magnus interrupted there attack frantically, waving his arms to catch their attention before they started yet another fight.  
“I think he's good.”


End file.
